Applying for Foundation Year - The Application Process
- Application Assessment
- Application Form
- How to apply
- Medical & Travel Insurance
- Offer of Place
- Visa Requirements
Application Assessment for Foundation Year
Once we have your application we will assess it as soon as possible.
Assessment is based on
- your academic levels from high school records
- English Language levels
- you must meet certain levels of academic achievement before you can be accepted to Foundation Year.
More information about academic requirements for Foundation Year is available elsewhere on this website.
There are three things that could happen to a student's application:
1. The student could receive a conditional Offer of Place.
- This could include a condition that you receive an IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL 525 result before the beginning of the Intake that you have applied for.
- Another condition could be that if you have sent photocopies of your academic records(such as academic records from high school or IELTS/TOEFL results), you will be required to send original documents
- An Offer for the February intake may also be conditional upon you successfully completing the Bridging Course that Foundation Year operates every January.
- If you have applied with forecast results, you may receive an Offer conditional upon your examination results being equivalent to the forecast results that you have sent in.
- All Offers of Place will include the condition that you complete and return the "Student Contract" which accompanies a Letter of Offer.
2. You may get a letter or email asking you to provide further information in order for the application to be processed. Your application is filed under "Incomplete" until you send further information.
3. You could get a letter telling you that your application has been declined.
Application Form for Foundation Year
The completed application form and documentation needs to be forwarded to the Foundation Year office for assessment.
Please send your completed application form and documentation to:
University of Otago Foundation Year
PO Box 56
Dunedin 9054, NEW ZEALAND
Faxed copies of the application will be accepted:
Fax Number 64 3 479 5251
Be aware that a condition of your acceptance to Foundation Year will be for admissions to see the original academic records. Once admission has seen the original academic documents an unconditional Offer of Place will be given to you.
- Course Information and Application Guide.pdf
- Language Centre, Foundation Year & Homestay Application Form.pdf
How to apply for Foundation Year
If you want to apply to the Foundation Year programme you need to do the following:
- Provide certified true copies of your high school and/or most recent academic records. Certified copies are photocopies of the documents that have been sighted and signed by a Notary Public or Justice of the Peace. We accept only certified true copies. Do not send us any original documents. We will not be responsible for any loss or damage of original documents.
- If you have completed your IELTS or TOEFL testing to the required level, include a certified true copy of the official test result/certificate with the application.
- English tuition at the University of Otago Language Centre can enable you to apply without having sat IELTS or TOEFL.
- Course Information and Application Guide 2012
- Language Centre, Foundation Year & Homestay Application Form
* Acceptance into First Year Health Sciences at university is not guaranteed if you have had any prior university study. Please disclose any prior university study upon application.
Application Assessment for Foundation Year
The completed Application Form and documentation needs to be sent to the Foundation Year Office for assessment.
Applications for Permanent Residents or New Zealand Citizens
Permanent Residents or New Zealand Citizens are welcome to apply for the course.
- Important - Entry to the university after the Foundation Year programme is through the domestic registration process and Foundation Year can not guarantee entry
- You must meet the criteria for entry to university which means that for most courses you will be required to achieve a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 6.5.
Provisional acceptance to university in New Zealand
If you are an international student, a New Zealand Citizen or Permanent Resident who has been offered a provisional place at a New Zealand University (and you are waiting for your NCEA results), you should also apply for the University of Otago Foundation Year. This is in case you miss out on a place at university in January when results come out. Please be aware that Foundation Year may also be fully booked.
Medical and Travel Insurance for Foundation Year
The New Zealand Government requires that international students have appropriate and current medical and travel insurance while studying in New Zealand (Section 7.4 Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students). Evidence of suitable medical and travel insurance must be presented as a condition of enrolment at the Language Centre or Foundation Year.
Please read our medical and travel insurance information for more details.
Offer of Place for Foundation Year
- When you receive an Offer of Place it will usually be conditional.
- If the Offer of Place is unconditional (meaning that you have sent in all the required documentation and you have been admitted to enter Foundation Year directly because you have met the English and academic levels required), then all we require is the full payment of fees to be made (either a deposit and then full payment at a later date or the full payment)
- We then send you the documents you need in order to apply for a Student Visa.
- If you have a conditional Offer of Place (meaning that you must have extra academic or English preparation), then all the conditions must be met.
- All the tuition fees paid before Foundation Year is able to send out documents for Student Visa purposes.
- The Letter of Offer will contain information about how the process works from this point on:
- how to make tuition fees payments
- accommodation
- student visas
- enrolment information
- Attached will be a form called "Acceptance of Offer & Registration Agreement" which includes a pink "Student Contract". You must be complete this form, sign it and send back in order for the Offer to be accepted.
Visa Requirements for Foundation Year
Please go to www.immigration.govt.nz for general information and updates. For specific information, contact your nearest New Zealand Embassy.